Department for Transport

Railways: Coronavirus

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what steps they are taking to ensure the continued operation of open-access passenger operators following the reduction in the number of rail passengers as a result of COVID-19; whether such steps include financial support to such operators; and if so, how much funding they intend to provide.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Government fully understands that open-access passenger operators are suffering from significant financial pressures as a result in the decline of passenger numbers in recent weeks. The Government has already made available a wide range of substantial measures to support businesses across the economy. The Government is continuing to actively engage with open-access passenger operators on the specifics of their situations.

Airports: Coronavirus

baroness goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure social distancing occurs at airports in England.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Government has provided clear instructions to the public and to businesses on the steps they need to take to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including new guidance on social distancing. Most importantly, we are reiterating that it is paramount for all transport sector employers and staff to follow Public Health England’s advice on health and safety in the workplace in light of COVID-19. Airports are following PHE advice, as well as their existing internal protocols on preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Additionally, PHE has provided specific guidance to flight crews on the measures they need to take to keep themselves and the public safe, including advice on social distancing and the safe use of personal protective equipment.

Airports: Coronavirus

baroness goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the governments of countries with airports from which planes are flying to the UK about encouraging social distancing at such airports.

baroness vere of norbiton: The UK is a world leader in preparing for and managing disease outbreaks, and we have a world-renowned team of clinicians, public health experts and scientists working round the clock to keep this country safe. We are working closely with the World Health Organisation, other G7 countries and the wider international community to ensure that we are ready for all eventualities. Additionally, FCO teams are working around the clock to gather and provide on the ground intelligence to understand current the situation in each individual country. The UK Government has issued clear instructions on what to do to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Extensive guidance is being provided to individuals entering the UK from countries where there are cases of COVID-19 being reported, including instructions regarding self-isolation as the primary means to contain the spread of the disease. UK Airports are following Public Health England advice, as well as their existing internal protocols on preventing the spread of infectious diseases, and PHE has provided specific guidance to flight crew on social distancing and the safe use of personal protective equipment.

Airports: Coronavirus

baroness goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to close airports during the COVID-19 pandemic; and if so, when.

baroness vere of norbiton: Airports are continuing to provide essential connectivity to get Britons home, deliver vital freight, and connect regions. The Government recognises this important contribution and is considering how best to support airports in continuing to provide this service.A decision to temporarily close London City Airport from 25 March has been taken by the airport as part of the COVID-19 response and we are grateful for their offer to support emergency flights as we seek to tackle COVID-19.We are working with the industry to ensure that UK nationals overseas are able to return home and freight continues to flow in and out of the country. Most importantly, we are reiterating that it is paramount for all transport sector employers to follow Public Health England’s advice on health and safety in the workplace in light of COVID-19.

Aviation

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many commercial passenger flights have landed in the UK over the last two weeks from (1) China, (2) Iran, (3) Italy, and (4) Spain.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Department for Transport does not currently hold official statistics on the number of commercial passenger flights that have landed in the UK over the last two weeks. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) collects data relating to the movements of commercial flights occurring at UK airports, and this data is received from UK airports up to two months after the end of each month in adherence to statistical regulation (EC) 437/2003 on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air.

Railways

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to the improvement of rail services between South West England, the Midlands, and the North of England and Scotland, including significant enhancements of rail infrastructure, so as to reduce any need for passenger air services between those areas.

baroness vere of norbiton: Following investment at Derby and Ambergate, CrossCountry has reduced the journey time of some services from Birmingham to Newcastle by 30 minutes and is looking at accelerating more services in future timetables. Additional capacity is due to be provided on the CrossCountry services between Scotland and the South-west via Birmingham during 2020 and 2021. The Department is looking at options to increase capacity and improve journey times on the East Coast Mainline while Network Rail is delivering improvements in the Bristol area and an £80m project to upgrade the sea wall at Dawlish for the future to deliver more reliable rail services to Devon and Cornwall

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Construction: Coronavirus

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to stop all non-essential construction work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord callanan: Construction plays a crucial role in supporting our public services, maintaining the nation’s infrastructure, and providing safe, decent homes for people to live in. Construction workers who cannot work from home, who show no symptoms of Covid-19, and who live in households where no person is self-isolating, should still go to work. This is consistent with the advice of the Chief Medical Officer. However, the Government is clear that construction activity should only continue where it can take place in line with the social distancing guidance provided by Public Health England. Through the Construction Leadership Council, the construction industry has issued Site Operating Procedures which align with this guidance.

Cleaning Services

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to add outsourced cleaners to the list ofkey workers.

lord callanan: Key workers are defined as those whose work is critical to the Coronavirus response, based on consultation across the Government. This includes those who work in the health and social care sectors, as well as those providing essential services in industries such as education and childcare, transport, food and delivery, utilities, communications, public safety, and the Government. We are actively keeping guidance on key workers under review. Employers should carefully consider the guidance, which sets out the key workers who will not be able to work from home. They can contact the Government department responsible for their sector if they have any questions. If you cannot work from home then you can still travel to work, provided you are well and neither you nor any of your household are self-isolating. This is consistent with advice from the Chief Medical Officer.

Self-employed: Coronavirus

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what further financial measuresthey plan to introduce to assist the self-employed and freelancers who are financially disadvantageddue to COVID-19.

lord callanan: The self-employed play an important role in the UK economy and the Government is supporting them through an unprecedented package of measures during this period of disruption. These include a temporary relaxation of the earnings rules (known as the Minimum Income Floor) for self-employed claimants who are sick or self-isolating according to Government guidance. This has already come into effect: on 20 February the Government extended this to all self-employed claimants not just those directly impacted by the virus, ensuring those affected by the economic impact of the outbreak are supported. Self-employed people unable to work because they are directly affected by Covid-19 or self-isolating will also be eligible for Contributory Employment and Support Allowance. As announced at Budget, this is now payable from the first day of sickness, rather than the eighth. Furthermore, on 26 March, the Chancellor announced world-leading scheme to support the UK’s self-employed affected by the coronavirus outbreak. he Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will support self-employed individuals (including members of partnerships) whose income has been negatively impacted by COVID-19. The scheme will provide a grant to self-employed individuals or partnerships, worth 80% of their profits up to a cap of £2,500 per month. All details of Government support for business during the coronavirus outbreak can be found on the Government’s Business Support website.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

viscount trenchard: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the guidelines issued to lenders participating in the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans Scheme permit such lenders to require that an SME director pledge personal assets in order to receive a Government guarantee of 80per cent on each loan; and what guidance has been issued to lenders on the terms of such lending.

lord callanan: The terms of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) state that Personal Guarantees of any form (whether or not these include the pledging of personal assets) cannot be used in respect of any CBILS facilities up to £250,000. Personal guarantees for CBILS facilities above £250,000 are not required by the scheme rules. They may be taken at the lender’s discretion. If that is the case, recoveries under such guarantees are capped at a maximum of 20% of the outstanding balance of the CBILS facility after the proceeds of business assets, if any, have been applied. A Principal Private Residence cannot be taken as security to support a personal guarantee or as security for any CBILS facility. These terms were updated on 3 April 2020 and will be retrospectively applied for any CBILS facilities offered since the start of the scheme on 23 March 2020. This means that any personal guarantees already taken for CBILS facilities up to £250,000 will be waived.

Self-employed: Coronavirus

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Callanan on 23 March (HL2389),what additional measures they are proposing to bring forward to support the self-employed.

lord callanan: The Government is working to minimise any social and economic disruption as a result of Covid-19. We have introduced several measures to support the self-employed, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, mortgage holidays, the delaying of IR35 by a year to April 2021, and support for people struggling to pay their energy bills. Self-employed people will also be able to claim Universal Credit at a rate equivalent to Statutory Sick Pay for employees and may be eligible for Contributory Employment and Support Allowance (which is now payable from the first day of sickness, rather than the eighth). We have also deferred Income Tax Self-Assessment payments due in July 2020, to January 2021. Following the Chancellor’s latest announcement, the Government have introduced the Self-employment Income Support Scheme. This will support self-employed individuals, including members of partnerships, whose income has been negatively impacted by COVID-19. The scheme will provide a grant to self-employed individuals or partnerships, worth 80% of their profits up to a cap of £2,500 per month. HMRC is urgently working to deliver the scheme and we are expecting to start to pay grants by early June 2020.

Black Economy: Coronavirus

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent the emergence of a black market in food, medicines, pharmaceuticals and other essential supplies as a result of any shortage in such supplies due to COVID-19.

lord callanan: Border Force, the National Crime Agency, the Intellectual Property Office, Trading Standards, and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency work together to ensure effective controls are in place to prevent counterfeit goods from entering the supply chain, and to ensure the legitimate market for medicines and other essential products is protected.

Business: Databases

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish adatabase of businesses which have (1) retained as many workers as possible, (2) dismissed workers and are claiming taxpayer help, (3) volunteered to assist in the COVID-19 pandemic by developing new technology or services, and (4) been found to have profited illegally or unethically, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord callanan: Officials in this department are engaging regularly with industry and the business community to discuss preparedness planning and to gather data, feedback and to ensure the best policy response is developed. A wide range of UK and international businesses have offered to help provide services, including designing and building new devices, manufacturing components or transporting them to NHS hospitals. The Government has received an overwhelming number of offers from the UK supply base in response to Covid-19. Suppliers are keen to offer a range of goods and services to help organisations and departments stay operational. The offers are coming through a number of different routes and the Crown Commercial Service is now coordinating these offers to create one central log. We are aware that, in a small minority of cases, cyber criminals and fraudsters are attempting to exploit opportunities around the coronavirus outbreak and so the Government have issued appropriate guidance to follow to identify fraudulent activities and scams, through Action Fraud. We are also working with social media to combat disinformation.

Professional Organisations: Government Assistance

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing to professional membership companies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord callanan: As of 3rd April, professional membership organisations that receive at least 50% of their income from trading activity and that otherwise meet the scheme eligibility criteria can access the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). CBILS supports small and medium-sized businesses with access to working capital (including loans, overdrafts, invoice finance and asset finance) of up to £5 million and for up to six years. The Government will also make a Business Interruption Payment to cover the first 12 months of interest payments and any lender-levied fees, so smaller businesses will benefit from no upfront costs and lower initial repayments.

Self-employed: Coronavirus

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support the self-employed affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord callanan: On 26 March, the Chancellor announced a world-leading scheme to support the UK’s self-employed, affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The Self-employment Income Support Scheme will support self-employed individuals, including members of partnerships, whose income has been negatively impacted by COVID-19. The scheme will provide a grant to self-employed individuals or partnerships, worth 80% of their profits up to a cap of £2,500 per month. All businesses and self-employed people in financial distress and with outstanding tax liabilities may be eligible to receive support with their tax affairs through HMRC’s ‘Time To Pay’ service. These arrangements are agreed on a case-by-case basis and are tailored to individual circumstances and liabilities. If self-employed people have missed - or are worried about missing - their next tax payment due to COVID-19, they can call the HMRC helpline for advice on 0800 024 1222. All details of Government support for businesses during the COVID-19 outbreak can be found on the dedicated business support webpage at gov.uk.

Hygiene: Products

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Callanan on 18 March (HL2249),what assessment they have made of the impact of HMRC rates and allowances on the ability of producers of hygiene gel to produce such gel; and what plans they have, if any, to dispense with those rates and allowances to assist such producers to meet demand.

lord callanan: Alcohol used in the production of retail sanitiser gel is not subject to excise duty, providing it is denatured. Producers, suppliers, and users of denatured alcohol must be authorised by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). Licensed suppliers of trade-specific denatured alcohol or duty-free spirit that are supplying it for hand sanitiser do not need to restrict the volume supplied. However, they should continue to inspect authorisations and record details of supplies made. On 23 March 2020, HMRC announced a series of easements designed to increase the amount of denatured alcohol available, as well as the number of businesses authorised to use it in the production of sanitiser gel. These measures will make it easier for manufacturers to meet the sudden increase in demand during the Coronavirus outbreak. Further information on the easements announced to support hand sanitiser production can be found at gov.uk.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Israel: Prisons

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports (1) that the Israeli Prison Service plans to stop the provision of cleaning products and medical visits to Palestinian prisoners, and (2) of unsanitary conditions in Israeli prisons.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Whilst we have not made representations regarding these reports, the British Embassy in Tel Aviv and the British Consulate-General in Jerusalem are in regular contact with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities respectively. Both report good co-operation between the two entities in response to COVID-19.

Department of Health and Social Care

Intensive Care: Medical Equipment

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to requisition medical ventilators from Britishcruise ships and make them available for use by the NHS to treat COVID-19.

lord bethell: The National Health Service currently has 8,175 ventilators and is working with British industry to produce 30,000 more in a matter of weeks. There are currently no plans to requisition ventilators from British cruise ships.

Health Services: Coronavirus

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what trainingthey plan to provide to health services personnel in the use of ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: A far wider range of staff than usual will be involved in directly supporting patients with respiratory needs. Refresher training for all clinical and patient-facing staff will be provided within the next fortnight. A cross-specialty clinical group supported by the Royal Colleges is producing guidance to ensure learning from experience here and abroad is rapidly shared across the United Kingdom. This will include a short education package for the entire National Health Service workforce; a service guide, including for anaesthetics and critical care; and COVID-19 clinical management guides in collaboration with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.As part of the ‘Your NHS Needs You’ recruitment drive, 15,266 former professionals in England have so far come forward to help the NHS tackle COVID-19 and will start being deployed from this weekend. This includes 5,117 doctors, 5,605 nurses and midwives and 3,686 allied health professionals and pharmacists. From next week, 5,750 final year medics and 17,000 final year nursing students in England will be asked to consider moving into frontline placements with appropriate support.

Coronavirus: Medical Treatments

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the drugs being used in other countries totreat patients with COVID-19 successfully; and what progress has been made towards developing a vaccine.

lord bethell: Although several potential drugs for COVID-19 are being trialled around the world, few results have been reported yet, and we do not know if any could help save people who are already seriously ill when diagnosed.The World Health Organization (WHO) along with several countries in Europe, including the United Kingdom, are coordinating an international trial of the most promising drugs which include the long-used antimalarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, a new antiviral drug called remdesivir and a combination of two HIV drugs called lopinavir and ritonavir. The HIV drugs will also be tested in combination with an antiviral called interferon beta.The trial will focus on whether any of these drugs reduce mortality or the time patients are in hospital and whether patients receiving drugs require ventilation or an intensive care unit.On 3 April, the Government also announcement that the world’s largest randomised clinical trial of potential coronavirus treatments is well underway in the UK as part of the race to find a treatment.Scientific and medical advisers are already developing a new vaccine against the COVID-19, as they initiated vaccine development as soon as the genetic sequence of the novel coronavirus was released.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

lord mann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of advances made by open sourcing research in relation to testing vaccines and treatments for COVID-19; what steps they have taken to ensure cooperation with scientific and research institutions in real time; with which countries such cooperation occurs; and in particular, whether they cooperate with such institutions in (1) South Korea, (2) Israel, (3) China, and (4) other G20 members.

lord bethell: Public Health England and other United Kingdom scientists and clinicians are members of several World Health Organization (WHO) working groups that cover new therapeutics, vaccines, diagnostics and sero-epidemiology. There is excellent collaboration across many countries, including those in the G20.Data and presentations have been shared at these working groups by many countries including China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, the Netherlands, France, Canada, the UK and the United States of America. There are publicly available outputs from these groups on the WHO Blueprint Research and Development website, one of which is the draft landscape of COVID-19 candidate vaccines.

Coronavirus

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ascertain the source of COVID-19; what assessment they have made of the response by countries where the virus was initially detected; and what steps they intend to take to hold any government which withheld information about COVID-19 to account.

lord bethell: On 31 December 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) was informed of a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. On 12 January 2020 the WHO posted a Disease Outbreak News where it was announced that a novel coronavirus had been identified in samples obtained from cases. Initial analysis of virus genetic sequences suggested that this particular virus was the cause of the outbreak. This virus is referred to as SARS-CoV-2, and the associated disease as COVID-19.Public Health England has been in regular contact with laboratories and public health organisations within Europe and South East Asia in order to understand the systems they have adopted in relation to contact tracing, risk assessments, guidance and laboratory processes. These knowledge exchanges led to the development of the antigen test used in the United Kingdom and shaped our approach to contact tracing and the risk assessments undertaken of aircraft and cruise ships.

Paracetamol

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to produce paracetamol, and any ingredients required for its production, in the UK.

lord bethell: The United Kingdom already has just under 25% of paracetamol finished product sites, producing supplies for the UK, based in this country, and just under 20% of the manufacturing sites producing the active pharmaceutical ingredient required to make paracetamol.We are aware that there has been a significant increase in paracetamol demand over the recent weeks. We are working with all suppliers of paracetamol to monitor and assess available supplies and demand, and to make additional stock available and prioritise further deliveries.

Department for International Development

Nigeria: Overseas Aid

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they have distributed funding from the £300 million North East Nigeria Transition to Development Programme since April 2017; how they intend to distribute funding from now until that programme’s end in 2022; who (1) have been, and (2) will be, the beneficiaries of that funding; how qualifying communities are chosen; and how they intend to evaluate (a) the use, and (b) the results, of that funding.

baroness sugg: The UK has provided lifesaving assistance through the North East Nigeria Transition to Development (NENTAD) Programme over the last three years to support the UN-led Humanitarian Response Plan. Funding has been distributed to UN agencies, two INGO-led consortia and the Red Cross Movement to provide urgent aid to save lives and minimise suffering. To date the UK’s funding distribution has included £125 million for lifesaving food; more than £60 million for nutritious foods and treatment; more than £16 million for informal and emergency education; nearly £19 million to support humanitarian coordination in the North East; more than £17 million for protection support and services and £6 million for access to lifesaving water, sanitation and hygiene. Funding is intended to be distributed until the programme’s end through a range of UN, INGO and Red Cross partners to meet the most critical lifesaving needs. In light of the emerging needs due to Covid-19, partners will be asked to ensure their activities address the risks and urgent impacts of Covid-19 in North East Nigeria.Previous beneficiaries of the NENTAD programme were identified as being in acute need of lifesaving assistance by the humanitarian community. In 2018/19 NENTAD programme results included reaching 1.6 million people with lifesaving food assistance, providing access to education for 130,000 out-of-school children, the prevention of malnutrition amongst 260,000 children and providing 48,000 people with clean water. The future beneficiaries of the NENTAD programme will continue to be the most vulnerable conflict-affected people in North East Nigeria, including Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), refugees and affected host communities.Qualifying communities are selected by humanitarian partners following needs assessments to identify who is most in need of lifesaving support, so that resources can be efficiently prioritised for the most vulnerable. DFID evaluates the use and results of funding through quarterly reviews with implementing partners; field visits to the North East; internal audits and through the DFID Annual Review. The last Annual Review of the NENTAD programme was scored an A. A planned Mid-Term Review of NENTAD has been paused due to Covid-19.

Coronavirus: Older People

lord collins of highbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage (1) UN agencies, (2) partner governments, and (3) development actors, to prioritise the needs of older people most at risk from COVID-19.

baroness sugg: We recognise that older people, people with pre-existing conditions, people with disabilities and those with complex needs are disproportionately impacted, and at more serious risk of severe complications, due to COVID-19. The UK has so far pledged £544 million of aid to tackle this global pandemic.This includes support to UN agencies such as Unicef, the World Health Organisation and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Our support will enable humanitarian actors to work with in-country governments and other stakeholders to plan an inclusive response to the crisis, one which takes into account the needs of older people, women and girls and people with disabilities.We have also developed specific practical guidance to ensure our country offices around the world, working closely with partner governments, prioritise the needs of vulnerable groups, including older people. We are also working with actors across the development sector to ensure inclusion is built into the response from the very start. The pandemic is fast-moving, but we are committed to supporting the UN system, partner countries and the wider development community to reach those most vulnerable.

Coronavirus: Older People

lord collins of highbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the work of the World Health Organisation prioritises the health needs of older people in lower- and middle-income countries as part of its response to COVID-19.

baroness sugg: We recognise that older people, people with disabilities, people with pre-existing conditions, and those with complex needs are disproportionately impacted and at more serious risk of severe complications and fatality due to COVID-19. The UK is at the forefront of the global response to COVID-19 and has, to date, committed up to £544 million of aid to tackle this global pandemic.As part of this, the UK is providing £10 million to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) Emergency Flash Appeal. We are working with all of our humanitarian partners to ensure that the most vulnerable, including older people and people with disabilities are reached and supported.Our funding to the WHO is supporting countries to prepare for and respond to COVID-19. This includes through its Operational Planning Guidelines on public health measures, which outline specific considerations to be given to particularly marginalised groups, including older people. The WHO has also published specific tailored guidance on people with disabilities.

Department for Education

Students: Food

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to provide meals to students resident at hostels in the higher education sector who are unable to return to their home countries.

baroness berridge: The government is grateful for the huge amount of work being done across the higher education sector to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on our students and institutions.There will be many students – international students, along with students estranged from their parents and care leavers, among others – who remain in university-owned, or private university accommodation at present, particularly now government advice is for students to remain in their current residence, and not to return home. Higher education (HE) providers should aim to ensure that sufficient institutional accommodation is available to these studentsIn addition, the government has reminded HE providers of their responsibility to support services for students who remain on campus. This includes practical support to ensure students can access sufficient food and medical and cleaning supplies. HE providers have been asked to ensure catering staff are available to support on halls management, even in the event of wider university closure.It is particularly important that universities who rely on outsourced staff, such as catering, who maintain the delivery of critical services and infrastructure, take appropriate measures to protect the health, safety and welfare of their staff.The government is also working to improve joint continuity planning between HE providers and Local Resilience Forums to consider how to ensure availability of supply of food and medicines.We stand ready to support HE providers in any discussion that is needed to ensure they have access to the right resources to care for their students. It is essential that students are reassured that their provider will continue to support them through these difficult and unsettling times.

Apprentices: Coronavirus

baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to postponing the consultation by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education on changes to the funding recommendation process during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness berridge: This is a matter for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. I have asked its Chief Executive, Jennifer Coupland, to write to the noble Lady and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses when it is available.

Pupil Referral Units: Coronavirus

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all Pupil Referral Units will remain open to maintain the safety of pupils during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness berridge: The government has asked providers of alternative provision (AP), including pupil referral units, to work with local authorities to consider the best way to support vulnerable children and those of critical workers who cannot remain safely at home, including by keeping AP settings open where it is safe and feasible to do so. If that isn’t possible our expectation is that local authorities and AP providers will need to assess the safeguarding needs of those children on a case by case basis, working with social workers and other agencies to make appropriate arrangements.The government has published questions and answers about the provisions being made for vulnerable children and young people, which can be found at the link below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people.

Schools: Coronavirus

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure thatschools and education authorities can fulfill their duties under the Equality Act 2010 to provide reasonable adjustments and auxiliary aids for pupils with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness berridge: The duties under the Equality Act 2010 on local authorities, schools and other education settings are unchanged. The welfare of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities is a high priority for the department, especially during this period of uncertainty. We are working closely with colleagues across government to ensure that appropriate arrangements, and support, are in place for all of the department’s sectors – from early years and childcare to schools and children’s social care, and for vulnerable groups including children with special educational needs. Many children and young people with disabilities will fall under the definition of “vulnerable children” when it comes to the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, for example because they have special educational needs or they are receiving support from social care. The government has published questions and answers about the provisions being made for vulnerable children and young people, which can be found at the link below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people.

Ministry of Justice

Cemeteries

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Keen of Elie on 10 March (HL1844), whether private cemeteries should apply the same standards and principles contained in the “framework of regulation and guidance" applying to local authority burial grounds.

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received any reports of disputes at Tottenham Park Cemetery and Camberwell Old Cemetery on mounding; and what assessment they have made of reports that there are examples of private cemeteries potentially acting in breach of national guidance.

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they can take to enforce the recording of early burials that are 'mounded' over.

lord keen of elie: As indicated in my response to the Noble Lord’s previous questions on the issue of mounding (HL1843, 1844 and 1845), the Government anticipates that those operating private burial grounds will adhere to the standards and principles underpinning the framework of regulation and guidance which applies to local authority burial grounds. However, I will ensure that the issues raised by the Noble Lord are referred to the Law Commission in the context of its forthcoming consideration of the law governing the disposal of human remains, to which I also referred in my previous response.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Youth Hostel Association: Coronavirus

lord mann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Youth Hostel Association about its offering of 150 properties to be used by key workers and vulnerable members of society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: We have been working with a number of hotel chains across the country to secure accommodation for rough sleepers. We are pleased that the Youth Hostel Association offered to provide properties to be used by key workers and vulnerable members of society during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are now working with local authorities in Manchester and Brighton to house rough sleepers.We are working intensively with councils and the sector to help get those who are sleeping rough off the streets and into appropriate accommodation.

Funerals: Coronavirus

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that there is timely, accessible advice available to religious communities concerning rules relating to (1) funeral services, (2) burials, and (3) cremations, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: The government issued guidance on closure of business and venues on 23 March: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close-guidance. This sets out that funerals may continue to take place in places of worship and crematoria. On 31 March, Public Health England (PHE) published further guidance to ensure funerals are conducted safely, consistent with social distancing principles: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-advice-for-safe-funerals-after-discussions-with-faith-leaders. Faith leaders were consulted and worked with PHE to ensure that communities, the funeral industry and the NHS are protected.Government is working with partners, including leaders and members of faith and belief communities, to communicate relevant guidance and to understand the issues faith communities are facing at this difficult time. We continue to value the input of our faith and belief communities.

Local Government: Coronavirus

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have established a hotline service to (1) advise on faith and secular gatherings, (2) provide information to the public, and (3) receive relevant information from members of the public, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: The Government has issued guidance on social distancing on 16 March: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-guidance-for-mass-gatherings. In line with this guidance, large gatherings should not take place. Further guidance was published on 23 March on the closure of businesses and venues, including places of worship: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close-guidance.The guidance is clear that all places of worship should be closed. This includes for the holding of faith and secular gatherings and solitary prayer. However, services are encouraged to take place with congregations online.Government continues to have regular discussions with faith and belief groups to ensure that guidance relating to the COVID-19 pandemic is communicated clearly and effectively.

Domestic Abuse: Coronavirus

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide additional support to domestic violence refuges during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to any increase in domestic violence and abuse.

baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: The Government will do everything it can to support refuge service providers to keep these vital services open, up and running.My Department has been engaging with domestic abuse service providers on a daily basis to understand the additional challenges they are facing and the support needed to ensure essential provision is kept open and available to victims and their children.We have published guidance to assist domestic abuse service providers in service delivery during these unprecedented times. The guidance, in line with current Public Health England advice, sets out the advice for daily service operation within the context of domestic abuse safe accommodation provisionThe guidance can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-domestic-abuse-safe-accommodation-provision/covid-19-guidance-on-isolation-for-domestic-abuse-safe-accommodation-settingsIn addition, we have confirmed that front line domestic abuse workers are key workers for the purposes of their children accessing schools, colleges and other educational establishments.

Homelessness

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to make sure that the homeless have facilities to wash and eat.

baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: The Government is working intensively with councils and the sector to help get those who are sleeping rough off the streets and into appropriate accommodation.This is backed by £1.6 billion of additional funding for local authorities to enable them to respond to other COVID-19 pressures across services they deliver including for those who are homeless.Public Health England have also published guidance for those working in hostel and day centre environments to ensure these vital services can continue to operate safely during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Homelessness: Hostels

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to make sure there are enough people working inhostels for the homeless.

baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: The Government announced support for key workers to enable them to carry out their vital role and that staff delivering statutory homelessness services as well as staff delivering outreach, supported housing and other key frontline services for homeless people are included within the definition of key workers.We are working intensively with councils and the sector to help get those who are sleeping rough off the streets and into appropriate accommodation.This is backed by £1.6 billion of additional funding for local authorities to enable them to respond to other COVID-19 pressures across services they deliver including for those who are homeless.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Delivery Services and Shops: NHS

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to work with supermarkets to create designated NHS staff stores and delivery services.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government has well-established ways of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. Our retailers already have highly resilient supply chains and they are working around the clock to ensure people have the food and products they need. Industry has adapted quickly to these changes in demands, and food supply into and across the UK is resilient. To help supermarkets, the Government has already introduced new measures to keep food supply flowing. We have temporarily relaxed elements of competition law to enable supermarkets to work more closely together to ensure people can access the products they need. Food retailers are now able to share data on their stock levels, cooperate to keep stores open and share staff, distribution depots and delivery vehicles. This is helping keep shops open and staffed and better able to meet high demand. Guidance has been issued to local authorities to show flexibility to allow extended delivery hours to supermarkets to ensure shelves can be replenished more quickly. The Transport Secretary has also announced a temporary and limited relaxation of the drivers’ hours rules so that more goods can be delivered to every store every day. We welcome the actions that industry is taking, including hiring more staff and prioritising delivery slots for those that need them most. Supermarkets are already protecting shopping time for NHS staff, and we are in close contact with industry to discuss further ways to help with their preparations, including how they can support key workers. We are grateful for the extensive support and positive collaboration that the industry has shown. We should be proud of all those across the country who are working round the clock to make sure people have the food they need.

Home Shopping: Coronavirus

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of online suppliers to maintain the delivery of food and other essential products to people self-isolating due to COVID-19.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government has well-established ways of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. Our retailers already have highly resilient supply chains and they are working around the clock to ensure people have the food and products they need. Industry has adapted quickly to these changes in demands, and we welcome the actions they are taking to support demand for online deliveries, including hiring more staff and prioritising delivery slots for those that need them most. To help the industry, the Government has already introduced new measures to support online deliveries. We have temporarily relaxed elements of competition law to enable supermarkets to work more closely together to ensure people can access the products they need. Food retailers are now able to share data on their stock levels, cooperate to keep stores open and share staff, distribution depots and delivery vehicles. This is helping keep shops open and staffed and better able to meet high demand. Guidance has been issued to local authorities to show flexibility to allow extended delivery hours to supermarkets to ensure shelves can be replenished more quickly. The Transport Secretary has also announced a temporary and limited relaxation of the drivers’ hours rules so that more goods can be delivered to every store every day. The Government has begun to deliver food parcels to those identified by the NHS as being extremely clinically vulnerable. We are working quickly to support people who do not fall into the category of being clinically vulnerable, but still need help getting essential food supplies. We will be launching a communications campaign to signpost vulnerable people to a range of support options. We are working closely with Local Authorities to direct vulnerable people to support available at the local level, as well as working in parallel with supermarkets to prioritise vulnerable individuals. Wherever possible, people should continue to rely on friends, families and wider community support.

Home Office

Asylum: Applications

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what provision they are making for asylum applicants whose cases are pending where a decision may be affected by restrictions in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and in particular for applications from survivors of torture.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those in the asylum system who are affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. We are monitoring the situation closely and making adjustments to our processes and procedures where necessary and appropriate.We will continue to provide accommodation and financial support to those who would otherwise be destitute.

Domestic Abuse

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the incidence of domestic violence.

baroness williams of trafford: Domestic abuse is a devastating crime that can shatter the lives of victims. The Government is committed to tackling and preventing domestic abuse. We reintroduced the landmark Domestic Abuse Bill in the House of Commons on 3 March 2020. The Bill will better protect and support victims of domestic abuse and their children and bring more perpetrators to justice.In the March 2020 Budget, the Chancellor announced a further £15 million, on top of existing funding, to tackle domestic abuse. This includes £10m for interventions to disrupt the activities of high-harm perpetrators, and £5m for the piloting of domestic abuse courts.We are working closely with the domestic abuse sector, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and local authorities to understand the impact of coronavirus and self-isolation on victims of domestic abuse.

Police: Protective Clothing

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what personal protective equipment they are giving to police officers enforcing restrictions on movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness williams of trafford: Public Health England (PHE) has issued guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the police and other front line responders, and it is an operational matter for forces to ensure officers and staff are able to access this equipment to keep themselves and the public safe. It is for officers to risk assess individual situations to determine what PPE should be used, if any, in line with PHE’s guidance.We are working across Government to ensure that the police’s need for PPE is understood and considered as supplies are prioritised across the country.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Social Media: Coronavirus

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to discuss with social networking companies what steps they are taking to restrict (1) comments by, and (2) the accounts of, users with high numbers of followers which give (1) false information, or (2) advice counter to official medical advice, about COVID-19.

baroness barran: The Government is working very closely with social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Google in response to Covid-19. This is helping us understand what is happening on their platforms and the steps they are taking so we can effectively tackle misinformation and disinformation together. It also allows social media platforms to be informed where harmful information is identified. Social media companies have taken a range of steps to limit misinformation and disinformation on their platforms. This has included updating their policies in response to Covid-19, to enable them to take action on false and misleading content where it has the potential to cause harm. Alongside the removal or downranking of misinformation and disinformation, platforms are also working with Government and the NHS to take action to promote accurate information. Measures have been introduced across almost all major platforms to ensure users see accurate information on Covid-19, including links to NHS and other authoritative sources.

Women and Equalities

Gender: Equality

baroness anelay of st johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government what procedures, if any, have been put in place to ensure that the Government Equalities Office has regular input into policy proposals to be put forward by (1) the Home Office, (2) the Ministry of Defence, (3) the Department for International Development, and (4) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, with particular regard to policies on gender equality.

baroness berridge: The Integrated Review will not be limited to specific departments, objectives or time frames but will take a holistic approach to our place in the world and how Government is best structured to achieve our objectives.The Government will utilise expertise from both inside and outside government for the review, including to ensure diversity of thinking and challenge are part of the process. As with all work by government departments, any decision-making arising from the review will need to take account of the statutory public sector equality duty.